DeSantis Middle rolls out year‑one life skills course; teachers, students and parents cite early gains

At its April 15 meeting, the Forsyth County Board of Education heard a detailed presentation on a year‑one life skills course launched at DeSantis Middle School, presented by principal Keith Sargent and teacher Jen Shuster.

The course, offered as part of the middle school "Connections" rotation, exposes every sixth, seventh and eighth grader in the school to a life skills unit every nine weeks. "I taught 32 years of physical education, health and PE," Jen Shuster told the board, "and the why of this class is that it's a need, not a want." Shuster said she has taught the course to “a total of over 720 students” this year as classes rotate.

District and school leaders told the board the class was developed from local staff input after DeSantis received additional staffing allotments. Principal Keith Sargent said administrators asked the course to align with the district's learner profile and to be adaptable to fast‑changing topics — including technology and, eventually, a CPR certification component. Sargent said the school is aiming to offer Basic Life Support instruction to eighth graders next school year.

Shuster described core units by grade: sixth grade lessons include a deeper look at the Pledge of Allegiance, voicemail and email composition, and basic first aid (concussions, nosebleeds, sprains); seventh grade focuses on empathy, respect and practical topics such as tipping; eighth grade units include cursive signature, handshakes and postsecondary options. She said the curriculum includes a pool of 10–12 unit options and that classes "throwing jello and seeing what sticks" this pilot year.

Students and staff gave concrete examples of classroom impact. Sixth‑grader Barrett told the board the class had broken down the Pledge of Allegiance into definitions and encouraged careful note taking. Homeroom teacher Hannah O'Connor said she participates in handshake practice sessions with students and observed measurable gains in confidence between the first and second practice. Eighth‑grader Max Weber described a cursive signature unit and said the teacher provided multiple practice days until each student could sign their full name.

A parent, Jen Weber, told the board she circulated the class syllabus to relatives and hiring contacts and called it a conversation starter about missing "soft skills" in students. "This is something that they can actually go out today, and practice and use," Weber said.

Assistant principal Peyton Maddox and other school leaders praised the course for aligning with the district's learner and leader profiles and said they plan to collect stakeholder feedback and measure outcomes as the course expands.

The presentation identified short‑term implementation details and next steps: continued refinement of unit content, piloting a CPR/first‑aid certification for eighth graders, and expanding stakeholder engagement. Teachers noted the course is scheduled as two nine‑week rotations (except for band/chorus conflicts), which allows Shuster to reach many students each year.

DeSantis officials asked the board for continued support as they refine curriculum and seek partnerships and encouraged other schools to consider similar offerings.

The board did not vote on curriculum changes at the April 15 meeting; presenters said next steps will include continued local refinement and district review.